Bucket List- CHECK!

It's amazing that I am still living and breathing after experiencing my country music idol in all his glory. Garth Brooks... You've still GOT IT.... and got it good.   As soon as Garth came out on stage, I was short of hyperventilating.  Good thing my mom is a nurse, and was present had I gone into full blown shock. 

I can now die a happy woman.  Garth, thank you for making my 24 year old dream come true (slight exaggeration).  You brought me to tears!  It was completely worth leaving Nash on Sunday afternoon to wake up at 5:30 for work Monday morning in Bham, to only drive back to Nash after work for the concert... then after the concert driving back home and crawling into bed around 1:30...only to be up again at 5:30.  WORTH IT.  Sleep is for the birds ;) 

I know a lot of people aren't fans of Garth..  But I'm here to tell you, that he is an incredible performer.  He sounds exactly the same live as he does on his records, even better really... can't say the same for other country music performers (i.e. Rascall Flatts).  He played every song people wanted to hear and came back out for 2 encores!  Best night ever!

Minutes away!

The Man of the Hour

Trish and Garth.  Matthew and I frequently sing duets together just like this ;)

Awesome.

Hopefully I will get around to blogging about Christmas in the next couple of days.  Happy Holidays!

"Tis the Season"

While I lament the fact that fall and football season are now drawing to a close, I can't help but be giddy about the upcoming holiday season (I must be in an extremely good mood since I agreed to watch a Star Trek movie with M the other night).  Being married has made Christmas even more fun... now we get 3 Christmases, our own, and both sets of parents.. What's not to love?  Not only that, but we get to decorate our own place for Christmas, and start our own family traditions...which will be even more fun when e have kids. 

That being said.. I'm an ornament fanatic.  I've been collecting for years.  When we first got married, I already had so many ornaments we could have had 2 full size trees.  I can't help it.  How can you not love ornaments?  It's the spirit and joy of Christmas all balled up into one glittery, colorful shape.  I know you're probably thinking, this girl seems deranged.  But I'm sure all of you have some little quirk or weird thing you obsess over :)  I'm also crazy about my snow villages.  I can't wait until I have like 50 of them and have a huge display in my living room 30 years from now.  And all the other women will come over and be so impressed (and secretly jealous) at how beautiful it is... 'cause we all know they won't be oohing and aahing over my table centerpieces..unless I've paid a fortune for them or I can convince Ashleigh Speight to do them for free :) (remember, no creativity here). 

On another holiday tradition note.. I am not a themed tree kind of girl.  I'm sorry if you are one of these people.  I mean no offense. It's just not for me.  I LOVE the fact that all my ornaments are unique, and that most of them have a story behind how I received them.  I know.. I'm starting to sound all creepy about my ornaments again...

So..tis the season!  Here are my favorite ornaments to date...  Other than the ones hanging on my parent's tree since my mom held a lot of my favorites hostage.  There are also a few pictures of our young married's core group tacky Christmas party. 

We bought this ornament in October right after we had been married in September of '08 when we took an impromptu trip to Atlanta

I LOVE this one.  Obviously, we just bought this when we were in Boston at the end of Oct. 

My mom has bought me the whole Rudolph collection of ornaments.   We've got Rudolph, the Abominable snowman, and Sam the Snowman.

Our first married Christmas, I bought Matthew this blown glass Darth Vader (done by the same company that does my Rudolph ornaments).  We later bought him a Yoda one to go along with it. 

This was the 1st ornament we bought as a married couple on our honeymoon! 

So, in 2008, my good childhood friend Caleb Joseph was drafted into the minor leagues by the Baltimore Orioles, along with his younger brother, Corban, who was drafted by the Yankees.  The next Christmas, on our Christmas Eve ornament swap, his mom gave out autographed ornaments from both of the boys.  I loved that idea, and it's still one of my favorite ornaments.  Last time I was home at Harpeth Hills, Caleb happened to be on break, and while I was talking to him, 3 little boys came up to him asking for his autograph.  So cute!  You can check Caleb out here!

Of course, we have to have a UK ornament.  I'm still waiting to find the perfect blown glass one as well. 

Enough with ornaments..I could go on for days, but I'm sure most of you could really care less.... This was M and me before our Core Group Tacky Christmas Party

Charlie and M

Sweet Erin in her incredibly tacky outfit :)

Holly Beth and me

Blake and M, and creeper Bret (aka Cousin Eddie)

All the girls...

30 years..

I know.  No way they've been married 30 years.  They're way too cute and young!

Everyone take time out of your day to celebrate my parents.  As of today, they have been married 30 YEARS!  So, Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad.  I am forever grateful to you both for providing a loving, Christian home, and being such a wonderful example of a Christ-filled marriage.  I hope M and I are as happy as you are when we celebrate 30 years together. 

Apparently, Ash and I are the worst daughters ever...  We attempted not once, twice, but 4 TIMES to surprise mom and dad by paying for their dinner in NYC while they were there last week.  Of course they had no idea we were trying to do this for them when they kept canceling their dinner reservations :)  Ash and I became fast friends with Zoe the friendly concierge at the Marriott Marquee Hotel in Times Square..but to no avail.  Sorry, we will do better next time...  Happy Anniversary.  I love you!

A Very Blessed Thanksgiving

It was a huge blessing for us to be able to travel to see both of our families for Thanksgiving this year.  As a new nurse, I was fully expecting to have to work all of the holidays, but I was extremely grateful to my nurse manager for giving me 7, yes count em, 7 days off over Thanksgiving!  Like I needed anything else to be thankful for!  Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday, so I was elated that I was able to make it this year.  We split time between Cincinnati and Lexington, so that we got to spend time with both sides, and now that I'm on this side of "time off", I'm wondering why I ever felt like it was a good idea to graduate from school :)

In no particular order, these are things I am thankful for this year:
-A husband who is always there, supportive, and continually in prayer over me and with me.  He's simply the best, hands down. 
-The craziest, sweetest dog that ever lived.
-The most incredible/supportive parents, my parents rock
-Wonderful in-laws who are a constant blessing
-A great sister and brother.. I couldn't be more blessed in this department
-Two awesome brothers-in-law and sister-in-law who have become "real" siblings
-The sweetest nephew on the planet.. and the cutest
-Loving grandparents on both sides
-Jobs
-Old friends and new friends
-Young Marrieds Core Group at Homewood
-Geoff..always
-And during this time of year... wool socks!
This doesn't even scrape the surface... But I'm pressed for time.  Bathrooms and kitchens don't clean themselves!

Sneaking a little snack before dinner

I will admit that I look slightly like my mom and my sister in this pic...

The fam.

Miss you Kath!

M and Uncle Grady supporting the Tide.. even tho we cheered for the Auburn Tigers on Game Day...

There's my sweet turkey!

TOO cute

A good lookin UK lovin family

When we got home we decorated for Christmas... still not done, almost there.  It's a slow process when you're not creative

My slowly growing snow village.. 5 strong!

Need I say more?